1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cartridge which contains a recording medium disc such as a flexible magnetic sheet disc for recording information and which has windows for insertion of devices such as magnetic heads for recording/reproducing the information. Specifically, this invention offers a cartridge having a shutter mechanism for automatically but indirectly opening or closing said window.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For this kind of the disc, with generally high information density, dust, fingerprints or mechanical damage pose serious problems. This is why the disc is conventionally stored and transported in an inflexible or rigid cartridge. A floppy disc is a representative example of such a cartridge. However, a conventional cartridge such as a floppy disc cartridge or jacket has windows (head windows) for insertion of a magnetic head, through which dust and other matter enter the cartridge. The opportunity for dust and other matter to collect on the sheet should be minimized. To this end, it is desirable to mount such a shutter mechanism as to open said windows automatically but indirectly when the cartridge is loaded into a recorder/reproducer, to allow access of the recording/reproducing device to the disc, and to close the windows when the cartridge is not loaded into the recorder/reproducer. This shutter mechanism must be simple and reliable to allow for the fact that the cartridge is widely used, not only by specialists but also by the general public. Further, said cartridge is often used in large numbers for one recorder/reproducer. Therefore, the cartridge must be small, light and easy to stack and handle so as to facilitate storage and transport.